Station Focus: Broadmeadow Fire Brigade (1904-1924)

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the opening of the new Lambton Fire Station at an event held in 2016. This book included the history of five stations. These were New Lambton, Lambton, Hamilton, Adamstown and Broadmeadow Fire Brigade's. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable.

This week our station blog is slightly different as we take a look at a closed Station. Back in 1924 Broadmeadow Fire Station was closed and the staff transferred to the new Hamilton Fire Station, after only being in operation for 20 years.

It wasn’t until December 1904 that a meeting was held with the purpose of establishing a Fire Brigade in Broadmeadow. By September 1905 a Brigade had been established and on 14 October 1905 the Station on Coorumbung Road (at the intersection of Lambton Road) was officially opened and the Brigades new hose reel christened. In 1909 a further adjoining portion of land was also purchased increasing the size of the property. On each occasion the Hamilton Council paid for half of the land on behalf of the Broadmeadow Fire Brigade. At the time of the Brigade coming under the auspice of the Board of Fire Commissioners in January 1910 the Brigade consisted of a Captain and nine men.

After the Board of Fire Commissioners assumed control of the Station, a number of advancements occurred, this included adding a room onto the Station in 1911 and in 1916 the Brigade finally received a horse-drawn appliance. This new appliance came to the Brigade second-hand from the Newcastle Central Brigade.

Broadmeadow Fire Brigade outside their Station, c. 1910 [Photograph courtesy of Fire and Rescue NSW]

In 1918-19 Broadmeadow Fire Brigade campaigned for improvements to their Fire Station. Not only was the floor in a bad state but the doors to the Station needed to be widened and electric lighting needed to be installed. As the 1920s began, it was decided by the Board of Fire Commissioners that both Broadmeadow and Hamilton Fire Brigades required new Stations. As the two were only located 1.5 miles apart, and a number of other surrounding Stations now had motorised vehicles, it made sense that a single larger and more central Station be built. A new Station was erected on Belford Street (this is the same Hamilton Station that would remain in use until 2016). This meant that Broadmeadow Fire Station was closed and any staff re-located to the new Hamilton Fire Station. In preparation for the closure of the Station, members of the Brigade were given the first opportunity to fill vacancies at the surrounding Stations and this practice continued until the Station closed, so that the smallest amount of men needed to be re-located upon the closure of the Station. Initially the Board intended to close Broadmeadow Fire Station immediately, however protests from locals meant that they delayed the closure of Broadmeadow until the new Station at Hamilton was opened in 1924.

A Timeline of Firefighting in the Lambton Area

1875 – Lambton Fire Brigade established

1888 – Hamilton Fire Brigade established

1891 – Adamstown Fire Brigade established and their Fire Station is officially opened.

1896 – New Lambton Fire Brigade established

1897 – New Lambton’s first purpose built Fire Station is officially opened (same site as that still used in 2016)

1901 – Hamilton’s first purpose built Fire Station is officially opened (located in James Street)

1902 – Lambton’s Fire purpose built station opens (same site as that still used in 2016)

1905 – A Fire Brigade is established at Broadmeadow and Broadmeadow Fire Station is opened later in the year

1914 – Lambton receives a new Fire Station after the previous one was destroyed by a cyclone in

1913. The new Fire Station would remain in use until 2016.

1921 – Adamstown officially opens a new Fire Station located on the same site as the previous Station.

1924 – Hamilton Fire Brigade officially opens a new Fire Station. This Fire Station would remain in use until 2016. At the same time Broadmeadow Fire Station is closed.

1934 – New Lambton opens a new Fire Station upon the same site as the previous station.

This Station would remain in use until 2016.

1945 – At the end of World War Two Adamstown and Lambton Fire Stations are closed and the volunteer staff transferred to New Lambton and Hamilton Fire Station’s.

1948 – Lambton Fire Station is re-opened and the staff transferred back to their original Station. However, Adamstown Fire Station remains permanently closed.

2016 – Lambton, New Lambton and Hamilton Fire Stations move into a new Fire Station on address

~Story by Museum of Fire Heritage Team